Eventually Ade punching the bag became us sparring and us sparring became us cackling on the floor. Only once I was sure he was okay and we walked to his room did I remember what happened with X. At the same time he asked
"Wait a second, what did you tell X?"
"That I was here the whole time" I replied
"And he bought that?"
"No, he choked me and I knocked him out with a lamp then roofied him..."
"Jesus christ"
"Yeah I know."
"How long do we have?"
"Rophypnol can last four to six hours so we got a little bit."
"six hours of peace...wow."
"Binge watching?"
"Shouldn't we be working?"
"Boy we just did two hours of hardcore workouts not to mention all the stuff from earlier today. My back is aching and I got a headache. If you don't find a damn movie and put it on-"
"Fine, fine, fine. Bad ass influence."
"Ain't nothing gon get done this late in the night."
"Why don't we ever just sleep?"
"Sleep is for people at peace."
"Have you even slept more than six hours since you got here?"
"Funny thing is, I never used to sleep even before all this happened. Something about this place has given me the most peaceful rest in years to be honest."
"Yeah, my body takes what it can get while I'm asleep since you give me no damn peace when I'm awake."
"Fuck you."
"You wish"
"Negro try me."
"Little girl you'd be happy if I did."
"You're annoying."
"You're aggravating"
"Then leave then." I know fully well I'll have night terrors without him, the fuck am I saying?
Technically it's possible that I only get a good night sleep for the reasons discussed...
I know that's a lie..
"You know you don't want me to." Internally, I both cheered and rolled my eyes. We were like Siamese twins at this point, I was with him for about eighteen hours a day, twenty three including sleep. I should want him to leave, but I didn't. I doubted it was healthy, but I didn't want to murder him yet so..
"Hm..."
"I'm not even gonna bother with you right now. What you wanna watch?"
"SpongeBob?"
"You love watching mindless garbage." he groaned
"You know...real life already involves so much thinking, and trauma, and stress. When I'm watching something, I want to just laugh and be calm for once."
"You really are an enigma Nkiruka."
"Don't make fun of me. If you're gonna fucking complain, you choose."
"Black Mirror?"
"That show stopped airing years ago but fine. If you give me nightmares and I kick you in the night, don't complain."
Ade and I weren't the type of people to make a big deal of things, so the first time we woke up holding on to each other for dear life, we didn't trip over it. Most likely because we knew at the time it wasn't romantic in any way, humans craved contact, it had nothing to do with feelings. We had just fallen asleep while watching a movie, and when huge fight scene started the noise woke us up, only for us to realize the awkward position we were in. We agreed to never speak of it and moved on, but then it happened again. And again. And again. It soon became habitual. We fought during the day, slept next to each other at night, and never talked about it. It was extremely irritating and every time I woke up in his arms I'd cringe internally. Tonight, I was even more disturbed than usual. Holding each other usually only took place while I was asleep, but somehow, during that godforsaken show I turned my head away when some weirdo started fucking a pig, and then my head landed on Bobo's chest.
This is why I fucking said spongebob.
Of course, even as I complained, I didn't remove my head. I stayed on his chest as we assumed what was supposed to be a strictly sleep position and I reached around his arm to skip to the next episode.
"I told you to skip this episode, its disgusting." he chuckled and I felt his chest vibrate. I glared up at him as I responded.
"Who the fuck starts a series from episode two?"
"The stories aren't even connected like that."
"Did I ask if they were?"
"I can't with you."
"You most definitely can."
"Whatever."
"Is that my baby Daniel Kaluuya?!"
"I thought you didn't have feelings."
"I do, but they're only for sexy people."
"Well I'm sexy"
"Sure."
"Hey!"
"Yes?
"I am sexy."
"Sure you are, sport!"
"Fuck youuu" he chuckled and I cackled. Demolishing his ego was a favorite pastime of mine.
"Anywho, my baby is beautiful and Imma need you to hush so I can watch him...wait what? Wait what the fuck are they doing? Is this slavery?"
"Yo...."
"Why did you make me watch this weird ass shit?"
"If you'd shut up you would like it."
"Fine."
I would be upset at being told to shut up if I wasn't so damn tired, but I was, and for the first time, I didn't need to move to fall asleep right where I was supposed to.